Fifth ODI: England fall short in low-scoring affair in Adelaide

England were bowled out for 212 chasing a target of 218 as Australia completed a 4-1 ODI series victory with a five-run success in Adelaide.

The tourists appeared in control at 154-3 in the 36th over before James Faulkner (2-37) removed Eoin Morgan (39) and Joe Root (55) in quick succession to spark a collapse.

Needing eight off the final over with last pair Chris Jordan and James Tredwell at the crease, Shane Watson conceded two singles before having Tredwell caught behind to seal the win. Clint McKay (3-34) and Nathan Coulter-Nile (3-36) each finished with three wickets.

Stuart Broad (3-31) and Ben Stokes (3-43) had earlier also claimed a trio of victims each as Australia limped to 217-9 after opting to bat first, George Bailey's 56 the top score on a slow pitch.

England's tour, which is now into its fourth month and has featured nine defeats and just one win against Australia across all formats, concludes with a three-match T20 series, starting in Hobart on Wednesday.

At least England captain Alastair Cook's miserable trip is now over, he heads home on Monday with T20 skipper Broad taking charge.

Drops

The Sky Cricket panel analyse the ODI stats and ask whether Eoin Morgan should move up the batting order.

England's day had began sloppily when Aaron Finch was dropped twice in the first three overs.

The opener, who had twice made centuries this series, did not make England pay as Broad uprooted his off stump with a peach of an off-cutter.

Cook was at fault for the first drop when he reacted slowly to a sharp chance above his head at first slip off Chris Jordan.

Ravi Bopara then spilled the simplest of chances in the next over from Broad before England took four wickets in the first 20 overs.

That forced Australia into a rebuild for the majority of an innings that England's bowlers never allowed to find any flow.

Bailey's 74-ball effort rescued Australia from 64-4 but, when Stokes had him caught at mid-off, Australia's tail was left to fight through the final overs.

Bailey pieced together the rebuild first in a 48-run stand with Glenn Maxwell, who edged Stokes behind, and then a 55-run partnership with Matthew Wade.

But just as they would have looked to accelerate England removed both in the space of 12 balls.

Nick Knight gives his reaction to what was a tense finish to the fifth ODI defeat to Australia.

Bailey dragged a drive to Broad at mid-on, who then bowled Wade behind his legs as he tried to make room.

Australia's late hitting was therefore left to their tail, and while Faulkner and Coulter-Nile tried to lift the tempo, they both perished consecutively to Jordan in the final over.

Faulkner was caught on the rope, trying to hit the first six of the innings, before Coulter-Nile was trapped in front.

Trouble

England were in trouble early in their chase, falling to 29-2, when Ian Bell and Stokes were caught in the ring trying to force the pace.

Cook appeared determined not to make the same mistake but when Coulter-Nile got a ball to hold up, the skipper pushed a low catch to Bailey at short cover.

Root took over Cook's diligence and with Morgan combined in a match-high 63-run stand, only for their departures to Faulkner to spread panic in the ranks.

Jos Buttler picked out deep square leg off Coulter-Nile before Tim Bresnan was run out by a Maxwell direct hit.

Broad was bowled by McKay and there was some drama at the end when Bopara was given out stumped by television umpire Kumar Dharmasena when wicketkeeper Wade spilled a stumping chance onto the bails.

Replays showed Bopara's foot was in the air when the ball made contact with the stumps, although it appeared he may have recovered his ground when the bail fell off.

Bopara's misfortune left it to the last pair, who were unable to finish the job.